Racers Open OVC Quest With UT Martin

Dates (Time): Mar. 7 (3 p.m.)
Opponent: #3 UT Martin
Site (Venue): Evansville, Ind. (Ford Center)
Audio: WNBS 1340 AM (PxP: Jeremy Rose)
TV/Web: ESPN+ (PxP: Connor Onion; Analyst: Helen Williams)
Live Stats: GoRacers.com
Twitter In Game: @RacersWBB
MUR Record (Streak): 13-16, 9-9 OVC (Won 1)
MUR Last Five Games: 3-2 (WLWWL)
UTM Record (Streak): 21-8, 13-5 OVC (Won 3)
UTM Last Five Games: 4-1 (WWWLW)
All-Time Series vs. UTM (Streak): UTM leads 46-35 (Lost 5)
All-Time Series at OVC Tournament (Streak): MUR leads 2-1 (Won 2)
Last Five vs. UTM: 1-4 (WLLLL)
MSU Next Game: Mar. 8 vs. TBD (p.m.)
MSU Next Home Game: 2019-20 Season

This Weekend
Making its 24^th appearance in the OVC Women's Basketball Championship, the Murray State Women's basketball team is looking to secure its first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2008. Needing three wins for a title, the sixth-seeded Racers will begin their quest by taking on the three-seeded Skyhawks of UT Martin.

Last Time Out
The Racers went 2-0 last week with their first win over UT Martin at home since 2010 and their first season sweep of SEMO since the 2011-12 season. Against the Skyhawks, the Racers went wire-to-wire for the 76-73 win despite UT Martin almost erasing a 17-point lead in the fourth. One big key to victory for MSU was a 22-for-26 performance at the free throw line including seven each from Evelyn Adebayo and Macey Turley. Turley finished the game with 21 points, while Janika Griffith-Wallace added 19 and Adebayo had 18. Against SEMO, Murray State outscored the Redhawks 51-35 in the second half en route to an 82-74 win. All five starters reached double figures in the game with Griffith-Wallace and Adebayo leading the way with 20 points each.

The UT Martin Series
Thursday will be the 82nd meeting all-time between the Racers and the Skyhawks with UTM leading the series 46-35 overall. Murray State halted a five-game skid in the series last month with a 76-73 win over UT Martin in Murray, for their first win in the series at The Bank since 2010. In the OVC tournament, the two teams have met three times with MSU winning two of the three contests. The last time the two met in the postseason, the eighth-seeded Racers upset the top-seeded Skyhawks, 78-76, in the 2016 edition of the tournament.

Scouting The Skyhawks
With one of the most high-powered offenses in Division I, UT Martin enters the tournament averaging 79.1 points per game, the 16th most in the nation, while giving up 72.5. The Skyhawks finished the regular-season at 21-8 overall and 13-5 in the OVC, which tied them for second place. Emanye Robertson leads a Skyhawk offense that sees eight players average double-digit minutes with 12.1 points per game. Chelsey Perry follows close behind at 11.7, while Maddie Waldrop pulls down a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game, to go along with 8.2 points.

A Win Thursday Would...
Give the Racers their first trip to the OVC semifinals since 2016 and just their second this decade.

Hardware Store
MSU was well represented in the OVC postseason awards with Evelyn Adebayo being named All-OVC first-team and Macey Turley being named to the second team. In addition, both were named to the All-Newcomer team, while Turley also became the fourth Racer to be named Freshman of the Year.

Tourney Time
Murray State is 10-25 all-time in the OVC tournament with one title in 2008. The Racers have had their greatest success in the tournament against UT Martin, going 2-1 versus the Skyhawks in the postseason. On the flipside, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee Tech have given the Racers the most fits in the tournament, as MSU is 0-5 against both teams.

On The Line
When looking at the difference between MSU's wins and losses this season, the difference can be found at the free throw line. In games won, the Racers average 17.9 made free throws per game on 23.0 attempts. However, in losses this season Murray State has averaged just 17.3 attempts per game and 12.8 makes.

Hitting Their Stride
Murray State finished the season winning seven of its last 10 games and it show when you look at the number. In the first 19 games, the Racers were outscored by opponents by 1.1 points per game, however in the last 10 MSU did the outscoring, to the tune of 2.8 points per game. MSU also found a way to increase its rebound margin from 2.0 to 3.6.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Evelyn Adebayo

Janika Griffith-Wallace

Macey Turley

Murray State University Athletics